Definitions
(noun)
father
Etymology
Pictograph of a hand holding something. The exact nature of the object is unclear. Variously explained as a rod or a hatchet.
About
The character "父" originates from an early pictorial representation of a hand holding a stone axe or a staff, a form that conveyed the concept of authoritative power or discipline within a familial or social context. Over time, this depiction stylized into its present structure, a process that refined the image while preserving its core symbolic gesture. The meaning, initially broader and associated with male elders or figures of respect, gradually specialized to denote specifically the male parent, a semantic narrowing that solidified in classical usage where it also functioned as an honorific title. In contemporary Chinese, it retains this primary sense as a standalone word and acts as a key component in compounds pertaining to fatherhood and ancestral lineage.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他是我的父亲。
父母都很关心我。
父亲每天去上班。
昨天我和父亲去了超市。
我深深感激父爱的伟大。
虽然父亲话不多，但他总是支持我。
在现代社会，父亲的责任发生了变化。
父亲节那天，我们全家为父亲庆祝。